Research details

Sexual selection plays a fundamental role in evolution: it is responsible for many observed differences in size, shape, coloration and behavior between sexes, and for the evolution of extremely large, colorful and flamboyant ornaments that appear detrimental to survival. The main objective of my research is to quantify sexual selection on different behavioral, morphological, and genetic traits on a population of eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) in Victoria, southeastern Australia. I am interested in:(I) male reproductive success and its determinants, comparing them over a single breeding season and over multiple years;(II) assortative mating, which will be tested on morphological and genetic traits, including neutral and MHC-associated loci;(III) paternal influence on offspring sex ratio, evaluating if parents bias their offspring sex ratio or if maternal allocation varies according to paternal traits-success;​(IV) fluctuation of selection of male fitness, estimating the interplay between sexual and natural selection in a heterogeneous environment.